Yarn measuring cutter

ABSTRACT

A frame on which yarn can be wound in such a manner that each complete turn of the yarn passes over at least one cutting slot, the length of the yarn between successive crossings of the slot or slots being substantially uniform, so that cutting of the yarn along the line of the slot or slots produces a multiplicity of cut yarn pieces having substantially a uniform length.

United States Patent [191 Montory et al.

[45] Dec. 31, 1974 YARN MEASURING CUTTER Inventors: Daniel A. Montory; Katherine L.

Montory, both of 213 Oak St., Waterbury, Conn.

Filed: Mar. 11, 1974 Appl. No.: 449,852

US. Cl 28/2, 30/124, 30/289 Int. Cl D04d 7/08 Field of Search 30/124, 114, 286, 289,

30/291; 28/1 CS, 2, 72 CS, 15

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1963 Spear ..28/2 ll/1966 Ciroli ..28/2

3,772,793 ll/l973 Anderson 30/289 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 329,592 5/1930 Great Britain 30/289 Primary Examiner-Al Lawrence Smith Assistant Examiner-J. C. Peters Attorney, Agent, or FirmDelio and Montgomery [5 7] ABSTRACT A frame on which yarn can be wound in such a manner that each complete turn of the yarn passes over at least one cutting slot, the length of the yarn between successive crossings of the slot or slots being substantially uniform, so that cutting of the yarn along the line of the slot or slots produces a multiplicity of cut yarn pieces having substantially a uniform length.

4 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures YARN MEASURING CUTTER The invention relates to a yarn cutting device comprising a generally rectangular frame having one or more outwardly opening slots, the distance around the frame in a direction perpendicular to the slot or slots and measured from the center of one slot to the center of the next slot (the same one or a next adjacent one) being the length to which a long piece of yarn is to be cut, whereby yarn wound on the frame in said perpendicular direction can be cut by scissors or a knife along the line of each slot to form short pieces of substantially uniform length.

In carrying out certain handicrafts, particularly in making hooked rugs and the like, pieces of yarn are drawn through openings in a textile web (e.g., canvas or burlap) and are held therein either frictionally or with the aid of a simple knot. The pieces of yarn should generally be of a uniform length, to produce a pile surface of substantially uniform height, and it is therefore necessary to cut a long (at least 75 feet) skein of yarn into pieces of the desired length, usually about 2% inches. Such cutting on a commerical scale is no problem, but for home use a simple and inexpensive device is needed and an object of the invention is to fill this need.

Practical embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 represents a perspective view of a two-slotted form of the cutter, in position to receive yarn;

FIG. 2 represents a top plan view of the cutter of FIG. 1 in closed position, the open position of the covers being shown in broken lines;

FIG. 3 represents an end elevation of the cutter of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 represents a side elevation of a simplified (one-slot) form of cutter;

FIG. 5 represents an end elevation of the cutter of FIG. 4;

FIG. 5A represents an end elevation of an alternative form of cutter similar to that of FIGS. 4 and 5; and

FIG. 6 represents a perspective view of a three-sided form of the cutter,the covers being in open position.

Referring to the drawing, and particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the cutter is shown as comprising a main body 11 and side covers 12, each of the latter being hinged to an end of the main body, as indicated at 13. The body is flat and rectangular, being provided with slots 14 along its upper and lower edges, the slots being wide enough and deep enough to permit easy entry of a scissor blade. The vertical dimension of the body 11 is calculated such that the distance from the center line 15 of each slot to the center line of the opposite slot around the side of the body, corresponds to the length to which the yarn is to be cut, e.g., 2% inches.

In operation, the covers 12 are folded out to the position indicated in broken lines in FIG. 2 where they can be grasped by the operator to serve as a handle for the body. Yarn to be cut is then wound vertically around the body 11 in one or more layers, as indicated by the arrow 16 in FIG. 1, the body being long enough to hold a multiplicity of turns without undue build-up. When a sufficient quantity of yarn has been thus wound on the body, the covers are closed against the yarn on the sides of the body and are held there firmly while scissors (or other cutting tools) are introduced into each slot to cut the yarn along the center lines of the slots.

The covers 12 are needed to clamp the yarn pieces in place after the first cut has been made. The pieces of yarn are substantially uniform in length and the whole operation can be performed very rapidly, e.g., winding 40 to 50 turns and cutting to make to I00 short pieces takes no more than one minute.

Simplified forms of the device are shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 5A, wherein the body 20 corresponds approxi mately to half of the body 11, having a slot 21 only along its upper edge and being elongated so that one end portion can serve as a handle. In this case the distance around the body 20, in a vertical direction, corresponds to the desired length of the cut yarn pieces since each turn of the yarn wound on the body 20 makes, when cut along the slot 21, only a single short piece instead of two pieces as in the form of FIGS. 1-3. Side covers are dispensed with because the yarn holds itself in place prior to cutting, and a single cut releases the cut pieces in the desired length. In the alternative form of FIG. 5A the body 23 is circular in cross-section and provided with a slot 24.

The principle of operation of the devices shown in FIGS. 1 to 5A can be adapted to yarn cutters having more than two slots, as in the triangular device 30 (FIG. 6) having a slot 31 along each edge and a cover 32 hinged to the end of each side, but the simpler forms are so practical and effective that such enlargement is considered not to be needed.

The cutting devices disclosed herein may be made of suitable plastic materials or wood or metal, and the hinges 13 may be fabric or plastic strips or integrally formed thinned portions of the plastic constituting the body and covers. The cutters should have sufficient length in the winding area to accommodate a multiplicity of turns of the yarn, preferably side by side or with a minimal radial build-up, so that the turns will be substantially identical in length. A cutter length of 4 to 6 inches for the body 11 in FIGS. 1 to 3 has been found to be practical, since it is not so easy to wind yarn man ually on a device longer than about 6 inches. Since the basic cross-sectional shape of the cutter body portion may vary from the flat rectangle of FIG. 3 to the circle of FIG. 5A and the triangle of FIG. 6, the critical dimension of each cross-section is termed its perimetric length. The flat side surfaces of the bodies 11 and 30 could be made somewhat convex, so long as provision is made to ensure adequate clamping action by the covers 12 or 32 when they are closed during cutting of the yarn. Where clamping is required, one or both of the facing surfaces may be roughened, if necessary, or at least given a matte finish.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above device without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

What we claim is:

1. A yarn measuring cutter comprising an elongated body porton having a plurality of longitudinal slots in wherein the clamping means comprises covers hinged to the body portion adjacent one end thereof.

4. A yarn measuring cutter according to claim 2 wherein the clamping means comprises covers hinged to the body portion adjacent one end thereof and adapted to be extended away from the body portion to form a handle and to be folded against the sides of the body portion to clamp the yarn. 

1. A yarn measuring cutter comprising an elongated body porton having a plurality of longitudinal slots in its surface, the perimetric distances between adjacent slots in either direction being equal, each said slot being of a siZe to receive a cutting tool, and means for clamping yarn against the body portion in areas between said slots.
 2. A yarn measuring cutter according to claim 1 wherein the body portion is substantially flat and rectangular, having two slots each extending along a respective opposite edge of the body portion.
 3. A yarn measuring cutter according to claim 1 wherein the clamping means comprises covers hinged to the body portion adjacent one end thereof.
 4. A yarn measuring cutter according to claim 2 wherein the clamping means comprises covers hinged to the body portion adjacent one end thereof and adapted to be extended away from the body portion to form a handle and to be folded against the sides of the body portion to clamp the yarn. 